So-called "urban" films almost always tend to be
consigned to a box office ghetto of their own, rarely connecting beyond its target
African-American audiences, even if the film has cross-demographic appeal. Even with the
promotional muscle of MTV Productions behind it, THE WOOD is not likely to be an exception
to the rule, but this warm and funny, if somewhat uneven, film deserves to be.

The film's title refers to Inglewood, California, and if
anyone outside of the Southern California area knows about the city, it's for either one
of two reasons: (1) it's the home of the Great Western Forum, longtime arena to the Los
Angeles Lakers (at least until this coming fall); or (2) it's known for its gang activity.
The latter would be the obvious angle to pursue, but aside from the gang connections of
one secondary character, writer-director Rick Famuyiwa admirably skirts the issue.
Famuyiwa grew up in Inglewood, and his take on the city is an affectionate portrait that
could be of any given community; it has many different qualities (including, as it is,
gangs) that contribute to its unique flavor.

Similarly universal, if more than a little formulaic, is
its story, which tracks a group of three friends over a span of 13 years. The main
character is Mike (played as a teen by Sean Nelson, as an adult by Omar Epps), who moves
to The Wood from North Carolina in 1986. In junior high he immediately clicks with Wood
natives Roland (played as a teen by Trent Cameron, as an adult by Taye Diggs) and Slim
(played as a teen by Duane Finley, as an adult by Richard T. Jones), and together they
come of age through high school. As is with the case of all young men of the teen age, sex
dominates the brain, and in a sense THE WOOD can be seen as a (slightly) less crass cousin
to AMERICAN PIE; there are no outrageous gross-out gags, but the trio's attempts to
initiate themselves are humorous in how they are so firmly grounded in honest reality.

As can be gleaned from the actor credits, there is also a
parallel story that follows the trio as adults, and, unfortunately, it is not as
interesting as the teenage story. In 1999, it's Roland's wedding day, and hours before the
ceremony, he's nowhere to be found; Mike and Slim eventually do locate him, but he's
plagued with doubt. The flashbacks are meant to punctuate the contemporary action, but the
'99 scenes feel like needless interruptions in the story that runs through '86 and '89.
This is no fault of the likable and charismatic actors, even if Epps is called on to
address the camera directly for the film's first 15 minutes.

While I found that device to be distracting, it is in line
with the theme of the film, which is this idea of community and belonging, which, of
course, can be broken down to friendship. Over the course of THE WOOD, one really grows to
know and like these people as well as get a keen feeling of their place and time; by the
film's final toast, one feels as if they are indeed part of The Wood.